A search involving two lifeboats, the Coastguard helicopter and a land team got underway in the early hours after a person was reported to be in the water between the quays at Poole.

Solent Coastguard called out the Poole RNLI inshore lifeboat at 12.50am and shortly after the all-weather lifeboat was called in to help the search.

People had been seen swimming between the town and port quays and there was some confusion as to whether all the people reported in the water had been accounted for.

The lifeboat volunteers were joined by the coastguard helicopter and a thorough co-ordinated search took place, taking into account the state of the tides. Poole Coastguards carried out a land search.

Despite the intensive hunt nothing was found and the lifeboats were stood down and returned to station at 3.45am.